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Operation R.E.L.P
Operation ' '''R.E.L.P ' '''Trilogy Operation R.E.L.P Operation R.E.L.P (Revenge Elicited via Long-term Planning) is an Australian independent not-for-profit film and short story series directed by the director J.D. O'Hallaran, written by Rohain Davies, marketed by M.D. Ru'ssell, and with costumes designed by Giuseppe 'Dizzy' Koinsgberg. The film was financed and distributed by Critical Pictures[1]. The film has gone on to spawn two more films - Operation S.C.R.A.P.P.Y and Operation S.C.O.O.B.Y, the latter of which is due for release in December 2011. The films focus on the story of Scooby Doo battling the twisted, immortal spirit of William Shakespere (under the name Kaiser Wilhelm von Shakespeurtin III) in a dystopian future. Background Kaiser Wilhelm von Shakespertin spear-headed the project, with Woof Woof and Co. coming on board as Executive Producers. The film is intended as an emotional journey exploring aspects of the human condition in the genre of dramatic comedy (or dramedy). Plot R.E.L.P is a film which tells the story of a plush novelty toy in the last moments of its life. The film has a continuity that flows throughout the film, while juxtaposing drama and comedy. However, the film is supported by its soundtrack which transitions tone and feel repeatedly but never seeming forced. Reception While never having a proper physical release, the film was well received, praised for its use of visual effects and audio cues to develop the narrative. In particular, the silhouette sequence (pictured above) was described as being a powerful and emotive scene which was nicely juxtaposed to the energy and feel of the following scene. Camels United interviewed the cast and crew of the film. "In regards to the film, J.D. O'Hallaran described it as "an emotional journey which chronicles the final moments in the life of a childrens plush toy." However, this ain't no Toy Story - the toy doesn't make any daring escape. "You've got this great juxtaposition in the film" said M.D. Ru'ssell (marketing manager). "On one hand, the notion of a plush novelty toy being hung is kind of comical, however from another perspective, it's also quite sad. I think Rohain did an excellent job in capturing that duality - the interplay between juxtaposition and continuity."[2] While discussing the cultural impact of films in Australia, Rohan Howitt (National Young Historian of the Year) referenced Operation R.E.L.P, stating "I hate the talk poppy syndrome which affects so many apsects of Australian culture, but especially film. So often, Australian films, great films, are neglected in favour of overseas blockbusters. Every so often, however, great Australian films are re-discovered, and finally get the appreciation they deserve. Just as Wake in Fright garnered a whole new audience in the 2000s, so has the Operation R.E.L.P. trilogy finally found its niche in contemporary cinema. It may have had a straight-to-DVD release, but Operation R.E.L.P. provides a unique insight into the zeitgeist of the post-9/11 generation, and is one of the must important and culturally significant films to come out of Australia since the 'New Wave' of the 1970s, something made all the more impressive by its shoestring budget and lack of major studio backing." [3] Cast Operation R.E.L.P relies predominantly on visual and audio cues (containing no spoken dialogue), using a plush-toy as the main 'actor'. However, Rohain Davies does make a cameo appearance in the second scene of the original film. The entire cast is shown via still production images during the credits sequence. Release Operation R.E.L.P was initially released in limited quantities and had only had two public showings. As it was a not-for-profit production, the film was never sold. However, a one-off limited edition version was created, but only distributed amongst the production crew. Then in mid-2011, to coincide with the release of Operation S.C.R.A.P.P.Y, the team uploaded the film on popular video site Metacafe [4]. Since then, digital distribution has become the exclusive method for distributing the film series. Operation S.C.R.A.P.P.Y The sequel to Operation R.E.L.P, Operation S.C.R.A.P.P.Y was released in July 2011 on Youtube[5] almost one full year after its predecessor. It was longer, more varied in setting and style, and higher quality than R.E.L.P and expanded the one-shot parody into a Universe with it's own complex mythos. The film also reached a much wider audience via the use of social video websites, although it has had less distribution than R.E.L.P. The film begins with Scooby Doo's funeral and burial (having died in Operation R.E.L.P), after which he is dragged down to Hell where is tortured for one whole year. However, due to the cost of keeping a prisoner in Hell, Scooby is released and sent back to Earth. Here we find that Earth has become a horrible dystopia - thievery is common and people are struggling to stay alive. Tired of political struggles, Scooby simply wants to find his old friend and live out a quiet, normal life. The film ends with him hitching a ride and driving off into the light. Operation S.C.R.A.P.P.Y proved more succesful than Operation R.E.L.P and this success sparked a series of spin-off projects. Promotion Efforts to promote the films increased after the release of Operation S.C.R.A.P.P.Y. While not linked by Critical Productions, Operation R.E.L.P began to appear on other video sites, such as Chords Center [6] Critical Pictures then released a trailer, advertising the two films released so far. This has appeared on numerous popular video websites, including Youtube. [7] Additionally, the trailer has run on large Music, Film and Magazine UK site NME [9]. A teaser trailer for the upcoming Operation S.C.O.O.B.Y is also allegedly in the works. Operation S.C.O.O.B.Y The third and final film in the R.E.L.P Trilogy began pre-production only in October[10], but is set to be double the size of the previous films in terms of length and scope. New characters are being introduced as well as dialogue, making this film a departure from the style of using the soundtrack to exclusively convey the story and emotions. S.C.O.O.B.Y is a very personal story for the main character of the trilogy. It focuses on the conflict between Scooby Doo and Kaiser Wilhelm von Shakespeurtin - the previously invisible antagonist of the series. It is set to be released in December 2011 on Critical Pictures official website. Short Stories To further detail the world of R.E.L.P, Critical Productions commissioned a series of short stories in October 2011. These tales helped to flesh out the characters and the overall history and mythology of the films, in addition to filling in gaps between the movies. Four stories have currently been released, with four more planned in the future. They are told as the first-person recounts of an elderly Scooby Doo, writing his memoirs for future generations. These stories are: #1 Operation R.E.L.P Novelisation #2 The Kaiser's Ambition #3 Operation S.C.R.A.P.P.Y Novelisation #4 In the Service of the Kaiser #5 My Brother #6 Operation S.C.O.O.B.Y Novelisation #7 Tales of a Plush Dog #8 The Truth While they were originally exclusive to the official Critical Pictures website [11], they were later released on FanFiction.net where the series found a small audience [12]. Video Game Shortly after production was completed on the second film, the team began to have ideas about stories that took place before Operation R.E.L.P. To facilitate these ideas, it was decided that a video game tie-in would be made using the Unreal Development Kit and Unreal Engine 3. The game was a First-Person Shooter in the style of Unreal Tournament, and followed a linear story progression of about 3 hours. The player took the role of Prisoner #1337, a new character who was trapped in the prison of Kaiser Wilhelm von Shakespeurtin and forced to participate in weapons testing chambers. In the end, the player would come face to face with the Kaiser and battle to the death in locations from Operation R.E.L.P. Scooby would make an appearance only by reference. Production was going well, but budget concerns forced the project to be cancelled in early August. A trailer of the game's alpha state can be found on Youtube [13] A revival of the project, however, is being considered for the future. References 1. ^ "Critical Pictures Website". Critical Productions. http://criticalpictures.webs.com/. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 2. ^ "Operation R.E.L.P - Production Team Interview". Camels United. http://www.freewebs.com/happycamel/. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 3. ^ Howitt, Rohan, The Cultural Legacy of Australia's Independent Film Industry, Teaching History, vol. 116, no. 2, 2011, pp. 18-24 4. ^ "Operation R.E.L.P on Metacafe". Metacafe. http://www.metacafe.com/watch/6803524/operation_r_e_l_p/. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 5. ^ "Operation S.C.R.A.P.P.Y on Youtube". Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdwc26aLTmg&feature=player_embedded. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 6. ^ "Operation R.E.L.P on Chords Center". Chords Center. http://www.chordscenter.net/operation-r-e-l-p_watch-video-xtvrtprvxnpfhprdfhj.html. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 7. ^ "Operation R.E.L.P and S.C.R.A.P.P.Y Trailer on Youtube". Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MNygvitS4k. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 9. ^ "Operation R.E.L.P and S.C.R.A.P.P.Y Trailer on NME". NME - First For Music News. http://www.nme.com/movies/trailers/id/2MNygvitS4k/search/movie. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 10. ^ "Operation S.C.O.O.B.Y Production News". Critical Pictures. http://criticalpictures.webs.com/apps/blog/show/9173769-operation-s-c-o-o-by-news. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 11. ^ "Short Stories on Critical Pictures Website". Critical Pictures. http://criticalpictures.webs.com/shortstories.htm. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 12. ^ "Operation R.E.L.P Short Stories on FanFiction.net". FanFiction.net. http://m.fanfiction.net/s/7478789/1/. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 13. ^ "Operation R.E.L.P Video Game Trailer on Youtube". Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-Z1m9NGtNI. Retrieved 1 November 2011.